To Friendship: Chapter 1
by TJStarbuck
Summary: Both Greg and Nick are trying to kick their love lives into high gear but the job keeps interfering. And to complicate matters...they are dating the same woman...Only one story line so not too hard on the brain cells to figure this one out...but still a c
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Greg sighed and groaned into the mouth of the women who lay beneath him. Her tongue was wrapped around his as her fingers were busy unbuckling his belt. Greg groaned again as her searching fingers touched more than his belt.

Just then his cell phone went off. He swore viciously and rolled to the edge of the bed. Grabbing it up and looking at the number he swore again. "I gotta take this. I'm so sorry." As his gaze returned to her, she pouted. He took in her luscious curves, full blond hair spread out over the pillow and flat stomach. "Oh, I'm really, really sorry. Trust me. I'm really sorry," he groaned again, rubbing a quick hand through his spiky hair, then answered his phone. It was Catherine. She needed him in early to a murder scene. He took down the address quickly and hung up.

"I have to go," he explained.

The woman shrugged. "Your loss," she replied in a husky voice.

Greg closed his eyes and forced himself to drop his feet over the edge of the bed. "No. Trust me. I'm really sorry." He opened his eyes and spotted his shirt draped over his shoes. He quickly grabbed it up, shoving his head through and pulling it down.

She sighed. "That's what they all say."

Bethany Henderson was way out of his league and chances of her ever having the same brain deficiency that had led them to her bedroom were slim. Greg growled as he shoved his wallet and cell into the pockets of his jeans. It wasn't fair.

But he'd asked for field training, he reminded himself. And getting calls like this came with the territory.

But still...Bethany Henderson...

After tying his shoes he rolled back onto the bed for one last lingering kiss. "I promise, next time, no phones," he whispered into her hair next to her ear. He inhaled deeply the earthy scent of her.

She slid her hands over the seat of his jeans, abruptly pulling him down into her. He was briefly surprised at her strength as his breath caught and all the blood left his brain. He flirted with the idea of staying a while longer; telling Cath that he'd gotten stuck in traffic. There was always a traffic jam somewhere in Vegas.

But he knew better. If he wanted to become more than a lab rat he needed to do this.

But Bethany Henderson...

He pealed himself away from her and headed for the door, not looking back least he be tempted again. "I promise I'll call," he called back to the bedroom as he opened the front door.

"Hey! Greg?"

He paused. "Yeah?" He glanced back toward the bedroom, his eyes catching the shelves on the wall next to the doorway loaded with trophies and ribbons. Most had some sort of swimming emblem on them.

"Tell that cute guy that you work with how much fun we had. Or almost had..."

Greg's brow furrowed in confusion. "What?"

She appeared in the doorway of the bedroom and struck a pose. Greg swallowed hard. "Hey. I know how you guys talk. What's his name?" She paused. "Nick. That's it. He turned me down once. I just want him to know what he's missing...and what you were smart enough to pick up."

Greg licked his lips nervously. "Uh, sure, Bethany. I gotta go." Quickly he turned, shut the door and headed for his car.

As he slid behind the wheel, he was forcibly reminded of how well Bethany had been enticing him. He reflected morosely that he was in for at least an hour of being quite uncomfortable. Fortunately, the crime scene was at least 45 minutes away so he wouldn't have to try to hide it, or face knowing looks from either Nick or Warrick. Or worse, Catherine or Sarah.

Nick. So Nicky boy had turned her down. What had he been thinking, Greg pondered as he slid into traffic the sun setting behind him. Bethany was a hostess at one of the restaurants at the Luxor. Greg had been stood up and she had come over to offer her condolences. They had gotten to talking and one thing had led to another...that had led to an invitation to Bethany's bedroom.

But that last bit about telling Nick was a little strange. An uncomfortable thought began to surface...then Greg hit his horn as a Jag cut him off and the thought vanished.

He had almost made it with Bethany Henderson...still might...

He still had a smile on his face as he reached the crime scene. He was glad he'd followed Warwick's advice and kept his kit stocked and ready in his car. Nick and Catherine were already there processing the scene.

"Hey, Greg!" Catherine called, looking up from a body lying sprawled in the dried grass in front of a ramshackle little house. "Good to see you! Go on inside and help Nick. I got this covered."

"Sure thing," he called back and diverted his steps toward the open front door dodging the swarming police officers.

Nick was in the bedroom swabbing the stains on the sheets. "Hey, Grego! Looks like this guy saw some action before he died. These samples are pretty recent."

Greg smiled and opened his mouth to make a comment but then remembered how Bethany had wanted him to mention there little get together. It wasn't as much fun having been told to brag about his encounter so he shut his mouth again. "Where do you want me to start?"

Nick straightened up and looked at Greg with dark eyes. "How 'bout the bathroom? A guy this busy...there should be evidence of a partner somewhere."

"Sure," Greg agreed quickly. He popped his head in first and looked around. The bathroom was small. Bathtub and shower combo unit, sink and toilet with barely enough room to shut the door, all done in pink and black tile. Greg winced. House was probably built in the 50's. He got to work.

Soon he had done all he knew to do, so he packed up his kit and returned to the bedroom. Nick was still working the room, checking the carpet for anything that might tell them who had killed the man in the yard.

"So? Find anything?" Nick asked as he gingerly picked up a hair with his tweezers and placed it into a plastic baggie.

"Oh, yeah!" Greg grinned. "Unmistakable signs of female. But someone went to great pains to hide it. There's an oily residue in the bathtub, which if I'm not mistaken, is probably scented bath oil. There is a burn mark on the tile in the corner of the tub, which I will bet comes from a candle and I found a plastic applicator from a tampon that had rolled behind the toilet. But no extra toothbrush, no bottles of bath oil or any candles anywhere and no box of tampons under the sink."

Nick nodded thoughtfully. "Nice work. How did you think about the candle thing?"

"I had a girlfriend that used to like to take candlelight baths so I joined her one evening," Greg bragged. "For a month Warrick wouldn't let me live down the fact that I smelled of lavender on my shift that night."

Nick chuckled. "Hey. Did you grab the guy's razor?"

Greg frowned. "Why? We have all of his DNA outside on the lawn."

Nick nodded. "Yeah, but there's a chance our mysterious female grabbed his razor at least once to shave her legs. Could get some epifelials off it."

Now it was Greg's turn to look thoughtful. "And where did you learn that from?"

"College. Where else? Everytime my roommate's girlfriend spent the night she'd grab my razor instead of his when she showered. Drove me nuts. Have you ever tried to shave using a razor that a woman has used on her legs? Obviously not or you would remember!" Nick ruefully rubbed his clean shaven jaw. "Trust me. If you had, you'd never forget that little piece of info."

"Got ya." Greg smiled, nodded then went back into the bathroom to grab the razor. This was one of the reasons he liked Nick so much. They had an easy friendship that also included picking up little tidbits of information that were important to a guy without any of the ribbing just because he wasn't quite as experienced as the x-frat boy.

Early the next morning, just before their shift was over, Catherine popped her head into the lab and asked if either of them wanted to go catch breakfast with her. Greg agreed but Nick shook his head.

"I got a hot date," he grinned.

"Really..." Catherine drawled with a knowing smile. "Well, just make sure you get some sleep before coming in. At least an hour or two."

"I will," he promised before booking out the door.

"Who's Nick dating?" Greg asked, surprised that Nick hadn't said anything earlier.

"Don't know. Somebody new. He was saying yesterday that he'd met her at one of the clubs and she'd really made an impression...if you know what I mean," Catherine snorted. "Like it takes much."

"Ah, come on. Nick's not that easy to get into bed," Greg defended his buddy.

"And you would know?" Catherine smiled at him.

"Well, yeah! He..." Greg stopped as his brain finally caught the subtle tone of Catherine's question. "Ah...well, not that I would know personally," Greg backtracked rapidly, his face warming. "But we talk...you know."

Catherine slapped a hand onto Greg's shoulder. "Yeah. I know. I'm just giving you grief. Come on. I'm buying."

Nick groaned and surreptitiously adjusted his swim trunks as his date slid out of the warm water of the Jacuzzi and sat on the edge, looking at him with eager blue eyes. He smiled back, casually draping his muscular arms along the side of the tub. They had just spent the last hour in a serious tongue wrestling session, both in and out of the Jacuzzi, in the room she had gotten for them with her hotel discount, and he was definitely feeling the effects. He was also beginning to wonder where she was going with this. He'd been dating her for several weeks now but this was the first time it had gotten this intense. He knew where his body wanted to go, but he was a gentleman and always allowed the lady to set the pace and the parameters…regardless of what his body wanted to do. It was a good way to stay out of trouble.

The trouble was that right now his body was screaming that either he grab her, throw her onto the bed and make love to her or grab his crotch, cross his eyes and slid down into the water to be seen no more.

His brain took note that the configuration of heavily muscled arms and legs were those belonging to a swimmer, even though she hadn't mentioned it yet. Her wet hair was a deep honey color and she was well put together; round and flat in all the right places. All the right places, Nick's brain repeated as she reached back and untied her swimsuit top, letting it drop to one side.

He grinned. His hormones began doing the happy dance.

Then his cell phone went off.

A myriad of swear words flashed through his mind and for a moment he wasn't sure his legs would obey him. But he managed to leverage himself out of the tub and pad, bare footed over to the offending phone, just missing the call. Not slamming it immediately into the wall, he glanced at the number and quickly called Catherine back.

"Hey, Nick! Did you get any sleep?" came Catherine's perky voice.

"No," he growled irately.

"Welp. Too bad. 'Cause we're backed up and we have another homicide. Single, white, male, dead on his front lawn, strangled, just like the one yesterday, so I want you and Greg to handle it. I'll get there when I can. Ready for the address?"

"Yes," he snarled. She was sounding way too pleased with herself. Nick could understand why strangling was considered a crime of intimacy...because right now he'd like to strangle Catherine through the cellphone.

He took the information, flipped his phone closed, grabbed a towel and quickly began drying himself off. Then he looked back at his date who had slid back down into the Jacuzi, the bubbles from the jets gently bobbing around her breasts. He closed his eyes and counted to five.

"I have to go," he finally got out.

She pouted and got out of the tub. Nick quickly turned away from her and stripped out of his trunks and nimbly slid into his boxers. Pressing herself against him from behind Nick had to force himself to begin breathing again. She hooked her thumbs into his waistband.

"Can't I convince you to stay?" she whispered, splaying her long fingers across the fabric.

Nick gently grabbed her wrists and detached himself from her embrace. "Believe me...I wish. But I already told my boss I was on my way. I have to meet Greg there. He can't process a scene by himself just yet."

"The Greg you've told me so much about? His name wouldn't be Greg Saunders would it?" she asked. Nick nodded as he pulled on his pants. "Oh. So you're that Nick."

Nick paused in buckling his belt. "What'd you mean "that Nick"?"

She turned and slid back into the tub. "Nothing. It's out of context."

"Tell me," he insisted, tying his shoes.

"No. It's not that big of a deal and I don't want to make waves telling you something out of context!" she insisted again, trailing her fingers in the water.

"Bethany!" Nick stood.

"Fine," she looked up at him, exasperated. "It wasn't anything bad. He was just chatting at lunch one day in the restaurant with some friends and as I walked up to the table to check on them, I over heard him say that Nick sometimes babysat him too much. That he'd like some more space and more responsibility. And now I know that you're that Nick."

"Well, that's something he has to earn. What we do is too important to invite mistakes by leaving a rookie alone," Nick stated firmly.

She shrugged. "Like I said, I don't want to get him into trouble. It was just a comment between friends."

Nick smiled and grabbed his shirt and phone. "You're right. Greg's young and I'm sure he'd love to run when it's more prudent to walk. He's just going to have to be patient, just like the rest of us as we went through it. It's fine. You didn't get him into trouble."

"Good. Call me later?"

"Definitely!"


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"So he was strangled?" Greg said to the coroner who shook his graying head.

"Well, yes. But that's not what killed him," Dr. Robbins stated firmly. He indicated the corpses mouth. "Blue around the lips, water in his lungs..."

"He drown. On his front lawn." Nick rolled his eyes. Why couldn't people who drown stay near the water source in which they drown, he thought, as his memory flashed back to the woman who drown in the desert. Or conversely, the scuba diver who didn't drown, but ended up in a tree, dead from blunt force trauma.

Greg grinned at Nick. He knew where his friend's thoughts were going. Nick didn't have to say a thing.

"I've sent a sample of the water to the lab for analysis as well as a blood sample for a tox screen but bets are that he wasn't killed on his lawn."

"Body dump, not the scene of the crime," Nick surmised, rubbing his tired eyes.

"So the perpetrator drowns the guy, strangles him for good measure, hauls him into a vehicle, drives to the vic's house and dumps him on the front lawn," Greg listed off. "Sounds like an awful lot of trouble to go through to kill someone."

"Strangled him, or tried to, then drown him," the coroner corrected. "Like what they were using wasn't doing the job, so they had to choose an alternative."

"Perp's making a statement," Nick stated.

"Saying what?" Greg asked the coroner.

"Don't look at me, but the ligature marks on the throat aren't deep enough to have killed him. They were made by something soft, like a small cord of some kind. I can also tell you that these are not the clothes he died in. His back and the back of his legs are all scraped up, like he was dragged over something rough, but his shirt and pants would show no signs of damage. There were tiny pieces of cement embedded in his skin as well as a few slivers of wood. Help me with this," Dr. Robbins gestured to the body.

Nick nodded to Greg so Greg grabbed the body's legs and helped Dr. Robbins roll him onto his side. They could clearly see all the scrape marks. Especially down the legs and feet.

"But you see how they stop here?" the coroner pointed to the middle of the back. "If you grab someone here under the arms…" The coroner let the body back down.

Nick nodded and positioned himself, then grabbing the body just under the arms, he lifted.

Greg squatted down next to the steel table and looked up at the corpse. "Yep. Scratches start right about there and go down the rest of the body."

Nick gently lowered the body to the table. "So he was dragged, and not over the grass of the yard, but over concrete and wood."

"Not so much wood. A lot more concrete. The wood slivers were mostly found in the calves along with quite a bit of post-mortem bruising."

"We got a name yet?" Nick asked.

"Yep." Dr. Robbins picked up his chart and his single crutch. "Steve McQuiston. 28 years old. That's all I've got so far. I'll get to your newest vic tomorrow."

"Okay! Thanks a lot Doc!" Greg said as he headed for the door.

Nick followed him out the door and toward the locker room. "Hey, what's up, Grego? Where you headed in such a hurry?"

"Shifts over. It's my turn to take off on a hot date," he bragged as he shoved open the door and headed for his locker.

"Really? Do tell," Nick coaxed.

"Nope. Not kissing and telling this time. But it's your own fault you know. She said she asked you out once and you turned her down." Greg threw his lab coat into the locker, unbuttoned his shirt, pulled it off and threw it in after, then quickly pulled out another shirt and sniffed the armpits before pulling it over his head.

"Well, then she can't be all that if I turned her down," Nick grinned, crossing his muscular arms over his chest.

"Oh, I think you were drunk at the time 'cause this girl is hot!" Greg crowed, licked his finger and touched his butt with it. "Smokin'"

"No way! Even if I was drunk, if she was that hot, I would've at least got her number," Nick defended himself.

"That's not what she says." Greg slammed his locker then scrubbed a quick hand through his hair, ruffling it up. "See ya!"

"Hey! Greg!" Nick called as Greg hit the door. "Did today feel better? You know, out in the field?"

Greg paused. "What are you talking about?"

"Well, rumor has it that you feel we're babysitting you too much," Nick paraphrased cautiously. "So I tried to give you a little more space today."

Greg frowned. "It was fine. It's always fine. I don't remember saying anything like that. I mean, sure, I'd like to solo but I know I have to pay my dues. It's cool."

"We're cool then?"

"Yeah. We're cool," Greg replied then disappeared out the door.

Bethany met Greg at her place again. They lounged around the pool for a while, Greg watching as Bethany did a few laps. When he asked about the trophies he'd seen in her apartment. She told him about how she'd almost made the Olympic swim team last year.

"Wow. That's impressive," Greg smiled encouragingly. "Are you going to try again?"

"No," she replied sadly. "I had an accident. Really messed up my trapezius. It's healed well enough for normal things but I'll never compete again."

"I'm sorry," Greg said, reaching up for her. She eagerly straddled his lap and dropped a kiss on his lips. A three year old girl standing nearby, sucking her fingers, said, "Ewwww!"

Greg looked at Bethany ruefully. "Maybe we should go inside. It's getting awfully hot out here."

Bethany kissed him again, grinding her hips into him. "It's going to get awfully hot inside as well." She hopped off him and offered him a hand up off the lounger.

Greg eagerly accepted and they ran back to her apartment hand in hand, laughing. Once inside they hit the bed and began making out immediately.

At some point Bethany's swim top disappeared and Greg was slowing kissing his way down her muscular stomach with a very interesting destination in mind when his cell went off.

He swore as he paused, forehead resting on her belly button. "You have GOT to be Kidding Me!" he said angrily.

Bethany looked none too pleased. "Thought you said no calls next time!"

"I'm sorry! I thought we had everything taken care of!" he swore to her as he slid off the bed and grabbed up his phone.

"Greg. We just pulled up two more murders from two months ago that match the MO of the two guys you and Nick are working on. We may have a serial killer on our hands. I need you to come in and check it out," Catherine ordered.

"Catherine! Two months ago and the killer just struck again? We have plenty of time," he argued.

"Maybe, maybe not. What if the killer is choosing his next victims right now? It could take us a while to figure out his signature. So stop whining and get in here! I promise I'll try to get you out of here early."

Greg sighed. "Fine. I'll be right there."

When he tried to kiss Bethany she turned her face away. "I'm not happy."

"I understand. I'm not real happy either. Please forgive me?" Greg pleaded.

"Now I think I understand why Nick called you immature," she snapped peevishly.

Greg froze. "Nick. When did you see Nick?"

She shoved herself up on the bed and leaned against the headboard. "I'm talking about a while ago. He was in the restaurant with some friends and they were laughing about something. There was a problem with one of their credit cards, so I was going back over to discuss it with them. That's when I overheard them talking about you. But I didn't know you then."

"What'd they say?" Greg demanded, his face growing warm.

Bethany slid her hand up Greg's thigh. "You sure you can't stay?"

Greg grabbed her hand before he lost concentration. "What did they say?"

"Well, it was mostly just Nick," she said as she slid into his lap and began kissing his neck. "I remembered him from before, when he'd turned me down. He said he was tired of babysitting you." She kissed his collar bone. "That if you weren't so immature you'd catch on faster and not make so many mistakes and that he's going to make sure you earn your designation. Emphasis on the earn." She kissed his ear and began running her tongue around the delicate edges. "But Greg, he was drunk at the time and bragging to friends, so I wouldn't read too much into it. You know how guys blow things out of proportion when they're drunk. You've told me many times that he's your friend and friends don't talk like that. I'd put it down as the scotch talking if I were you."

"Yeah," Greg nodded solemnly. "You're probably right. Nick can be an arrogant ass at times."

"Absolutely!" she agreed. "He turned me down, didn't he?" Her hands slid up and down Greg's bare back, nails scrapping lightly against his skin.

"I can't image...wait…Nick said he doesn't remember turning you down," Greg stuttered.

Bethany buried her glittering gaze into Greg's neck so that Greg couldn't see the look in her eyes. "So you did mention me to Nick. I told you guys talk."

"It wasn't like that!" Greg protested. "I wouldn't do that to you!"

She nipped at his throat. "Hey, it's okay. I told you that. It's part of being with a guy who has friends. They talk. I understand." She pressed her body into his. "Stay," she moaned as her hands began to slide under the waist band of his swim trunks.

He leapt backwards off the bed. "I can't," he snapped, his breathing uneven, his head swimming with adrenaline. "I have to go!"

She flopped backward onto the bed as he stripped of the trunks and quickly dressed. "Nick was drunk at the time. I'm sure he doesn't remember me. You'll call me, right?"

"Yeah. I'll call." He grabbed his things and left, slamming the door on the way out.

Bethany just smiled.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Nick was bent over Catherine's shoulder chatting amicably about the information up on the computer screen in front of her as Greg stormed in. Nick'd been able to get a few hours sleep and felt much better.

"You look a little ragged there, Greg," Catherine commented looking at his mussed hair and slightly sunburnt face.

"There's no one around to care," he snapped back.

"Whoa. What's up your butt, dude?" Nick's retorted, his smile fading.

Greg sighed. "Nothing. Can we just get on with this?"

"Sure, Greg." Catherine turned back to the computer screen. "And just for the record...there are plenty of people around that might say something to Ecklie even with him on vacation, so I'll make this brief and then you need to hit the locker room."

"Fine."

"I've been scanning through our files and I found two more bodies that match your DB's back two and a half weeks before the first two I mentioned. These murders were processed by day shift which is why it didn't register on any of our radar. This means that the time frame between murders isn't consistent," Catherine explained.

"All drown, all strangled, all dumped on their front lawns. I'm surprised the press hasn't gotten a hold of this yet," Nick mused.

"I put a rush on the tox screen. All four of these guys had lethal levels of a sedative in their blood and trace amounts of alcohol. If your two do as well…then we have a match."

"Sedative? To keep them compliant?" Nick mused aloud.

"Probably," Catherine agreed.

"Strangled, drown and poisoned. Talk about overkill," Greg quipped.

Catherine rolled her eyes.

"What about the water in their lungs?"

"Traces of chlorine," Catherine smiled.

Nick nodded. "Pool water. Now all we have to do is find the right pool. Greg, the identity of the DB from this morning is Richard Fine. Why don't you start looking for a connection between the two recent murders and I'll see if I can link any of these past ones. Cool?"

"If you think I can handle it," Greg smarted off.

"Hey, we don't always get what we want," Nick quipped back but Greg didn't respond.

"Greg. Hit the locker room and then go get yourself some coffee," Catherine ordered. "I'll keep digging and see if I can find anymore bodies matching this MO."

"Fine," Greg said again as he stomped out.

"Cut him some slack. He had a date right after work so you may have interrupted things," Nick explained quietly to Catherine. "And that can cramp a guys style in more ways than one, if you know what I mean."

"Yeah, well, he needs to get over it. We have work to do," Catherine retorted solidly back at him. "You're social lives shouldn't effect your work."

"I hear you," Nick shoved his hands into the pocket of his tan Dockers. "I'll...ah...talk to him. After he's had some coffee."

"Good."

Nick found Greg slumped in a chair in the breakroom, changed into proper clothes, his hair slicked down, nursing a cup of his special coffee. "So...ya get caught with you pants down, didn't ya?" Nick smiled knowing from recent experience how irritating it could be.

"Can we just not talk about it?" Greg asked abruptly.

"Sure, Greg." Nick pulled up slightly on his pant legs and sat with elbows on knees. "I just know what it's like to be seriously in the middle of something...or someone...and have that phone ring. Happened to me just yesterday as a matter of fact. Takes a while to rev the engines back down. I understand. But Catherine's right, you have to be careful around here. Ecklie is jealous of our loyalty to Grissom and he loves to get at us. You don't want to end your career before it's really started."

"Maybe I'm just too immature for this job," Greg retorted taking a sip from the Styrofoam cup in his hand.

"I wouldn't say that," Nick stated seriously. "I've seen your work. It's top notch."

"Rumor has it that...someone...here at work is saying that," Greg worded his sentence carefully, looking Nick straight in the eye.

Nick snorted. "Then all they've ever seen of your work is you screwing around in the lab, having a good time at your job and they took it the wrong way. Anyone who knows you wouldn't say that." Nick met Greg's assessing gaze firmly.

"You wouldn't?" Greg asked.

"No." Nick stated firmly. "I wouldn't. Now can we get back to work before Catherine rips us a new one."

"Sure thing, Nick." Greg frowned. "Look. Sorry I overreacted. You were right. I was right in the middle of...something really nice...and I don't know how much longer she's going to put up with the interruptions."

Nick grimaced. "I hear ya. I got the same problem. So the sooner we crack this case the better off both our social lives will be."

Greg smiled. "Deal."

They spent the rest of the day tracking down leads and discovered that in all three cases the two men murdered were best friends, but they found no swimming pools to test the water sample against. Catherine, true to her word, managed to get them both out early with a promise, extracted from both of them, that they would go straight home and get some sleep...alone.

So it was two days before Nick finally got back to Bethany. She had him meet her at a different address instead of the hotel. It was a bit of a drive but it was a beautiful day so he didn't mind. He pulled up in his black Chevy Tahoe to a rather run down house with a neglected yard. It looked like it had been a rather nice ranch style home at one time but had seen better days. The lot was quite large. The nearest neighbor was at least half a mile away. At first he thought he had the wrong address but then he saw Bethany come bouncing around the corner. She waved at him, smiling brightly, her French-cut string bikini leaving little to his imagination. He eagerly leapt from his vehicle, pulling out his duffle bag as he did so.

"I have to go change," he called to her.

"Front door's unlocked," she called back. "I'm around back."

Nick took the front steps two at a time and went inside. There was a heavy coating of dust on everything. The large living room had sliding glass doors with large windows on either side. Through them he could see a rather well maintained swimming pool where Bethany was currently doing laps.

After trying several doors and finding the kitchen and a rec room, he found a bedroom in which to change. There were pictures of Bethany on the walls as a small child. He smiled at them. She'd been cute then as well.

Quickly he changed into his swim trunks and headed to the pool.

"Hey!" he called.

She swam to the side and climbed up the ladder. "Hey, yourself," she said wrapping her wet body around him. She kissed him quite thoroughly for several minutes.

Finally, he broke it off. "So what is this place? I saw the pictures of you in one of the bedrooms."

She smiled. "This was my parents place. When they died they left it to me. I don't like staying here because it's so far to commute but I keep the pool up. I like being able to come out here and have my privacy."

"Nice," Nick commented, grinning.

"I have another surprise for you too, if you want, but let's get back into the water." She led him over to a Jacuzzi area, under an awning. "Don't worry. The heat's not on," she told him as they stepped into it.

Lips and fingers then began some serious exploration, so it was a while before either of them spoke. Nick was quickly back to needing to adjust his trunks again but Bethany seemed turned on by him so much that it didn't matter. His brain was pleasantly fogged over with the pleasure of warm skin on skin when his ears picked up a noise like a car pulling into the driveway out front.

Suddenly, Bethany pulled away slightly. "How would you feel about a threesome?" she asked boldly.

Nick's brain stuttered at the quick left turn of thought. He'd been definitely contemplating a twosome coming together any minute now, but this... He quickly glanced around. "Ah...that's not exactly what I had in mind. Um...I mean...I'm game for a lot of things, but I guess I'm a little old fashioned when it comes to things like that."

Bethany pulled away from him, pouting. "Greg said you'd say that."

"Greg!" Nick spit. "What do you mean, Greg!"

"I ran into him at the grocery store yesterday. We got to talking and since you guys are such good friends, I thought it might be a lot of fun." She trailed a long finger up Nick's leg. "Greg said you'd be too arrogant to agree to it. But I told him I'd convince you."

"Arrogant?" Nick frowned. "I don't think I'm..."

Her fingers reached their destination and Nick grabbed her wrist to stop the competing input to his brain.

"Yeah, arrogant. He said that even though you're friends, you shut him out. That you think of him more as a boy than a man. That you'd never go for sharing me with him even if I really...really...wanted to."

"No! That's not…" Nick started to deny her words.

Her other hand grabbed him through his trunks.

"Whoa!" Nick shouted as he leapt to his feet. "I'm not into this!"

He spotted Greg standing near the corner of the house looking incredibly wounded and angry.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Greg started to leave as Nick scrambled out of the Jacuzzi.

"Wait!" Nick yelled.

Greg had thought that was Nick's SUV as he'd pulled up, but he couldn't figure out why Nick would be at Bethany's parent's place. So he had grabbed his duffel and walked toward the sounds of muted conversation. When he'd seen Nick in the Jacuzzi so cozy with Bethany, he'd gone cold. How could Nick do this to him?

He started to leave but when Nick yelled, he turned. He was no child to turn tail and run.

"What!" he shouted back.

"Look Greg..." Nick started, trying to find the words. He hadn't known that Greg was into threesomes, and actually, it was kind of a complement that he was okay with having Nick there. "It's flattering..."

"Flattering!" Greg cut him off angrily. "You arrogant..."

"I am not arrogant!" Nick shouted back. "I'm just not into sharing!"

"I can see that! You self-centered..."

"Guys!" Bethany ran up with two glasses, shoving then into the guys' hands. "You guys are best friends," she cajoled them, placing a finger on two sets of lips. "Now stop. Have a drink. And we can talk this through. I refuse to be the cause of ruining such a close friendship."

The men glared at each other.

"Come on. Drink up." She pushed their glasses toward their lips. "To friendship!"

Neither man said a word but they finally both took a sip. "Come on. That's forty year old scotch! Don't be a wuss!" she said angrily. Both men looked at her then tossed the scotch back. Greg hissed and grimaced but Nick just sucked in air over his tongue, enjoying the after taste, then frowned. It was awfully bitter.

"That's better," Bethany said smugly as she grabbed each by an arm and pulled them over to a circle of pool chairs around a metal table with an umbrella stuck through the middle. "Now let's sit and talk this over, like adults."

"He doesn't think I'm an adult," Greg started and he practically fell into the chair. The warmth of the scotch was spreading quickly through his limbs. He knew he was a lightweight but he usually didn't get drunk from just one shot.

"That's bull and you know it!" Nick retorted hotly, his head swimming from the heat pouring off the concrete. Drinking in the Nevada noonday sun was not a bright idea. "But maybe you are, if you're going to act like this!"

"I have a right to be angry! You stole my girlfriend! I never thought you'd sink that low!" Greg sputtered.

"You're girlfriend! You only met her yesterday!"

"Hey, man! I did not! I've been dating Bethany for four days!"

"Well I've been dating her for four weeks!"

"Four weeks!" Greg paused as wave of lethargy coiled through him. "Four weeks?"

"Yeah! Four weeks!"

Greg grabbed his stomach, leaning forward, resting his head on the cool metal.

Nick paused. This was his best friend he was yelling at. Sure, he liked Bethany but…was she really worth losing Greg's friendship over. He looked over at her smug face and felt a chill. "Hey, you know what," Nick stood clutching the table for support. "If you want to go out with her, she's your's. I'll back off. This isn't worth it." He looked at his friend with concern. "Greg? You okay, man?"

"Yeah. I just haven't had anything to eat since breakfast. Bethany said to come hungry. That she'd have a huge lunch ready for me."

Nick looked over at Bethany who grabbed his arm and pulled him toward the pool. "Come on Nick. Let's go for a swim."

"Lunch? What lunch? Why did you tell him that?" He staggered after her. "No. I'm not feeling so good myself. Drinking with this heat wasn't the brightest idea."

"You're probably right, but the cool water will help if it's sunstroke and besides..." she untied the strings of her top. "I know you're still...up...for some fun." She smiled.

Nick shook his head trying to clear it. "No. No. I think I should sit back down." His hand went to his forehead. "And check on Greg."

"Yes, dear, dear Grego. You're best buddy. The one you tell things to, and brag to…" Bethany wrapped the stings of her bikini top around Nick's neck. "Just like the two guys that raped me. They beat me and did so much damage to my back muscles that I'll never compete again. No. I don't think so," she said pulling him toward the pool. "And I'll take care of Greg after our little swim."

Nick grabbed Bethany's wrists, fear beginning to finally fight its way through the fog in his brain. She tightened the strings, limiting his air. His vision grayed and he fell heavily to his knees, digging his fingers under the flexible strings.

"We wouldn't have hurt you, Bethany," Greg called, lifting his too heavy head off the table.

"That's what Stan said. 'I'll ask my best friend over, Bethany. It'll be fun, Bethany.' They lied!" she shrieked. Nick's face was starting to turn purple.

Greg staggered over, shoving at her and finally kicking her behind one knee. She went down briefly, releasing Nick, who sucked in air and immediately began trying to get to his feet. Then she jumped up and punched Greg in the face. She still had plenty of muscle and the punch sent him reeling. Greg collapsed onto the concrete but Bethany wasn't done with him. She picked up a pool chair but Nick managed to grab hold of it before she could bring it down on Greg's prone body.

Bethany screamed in frustration, kneeing Nick in the groin. He gasped and turned his shoulder just as she brought the chair down on him. He went to his knees again. Bethany grabbed the swimsuit again but Nick managed to get his hands up to protect his windpipe. Bethany yanked on the cords, but to no avail. Nick wasn't able to get back to his feet this time, even though he now could breath. His muscles just wouldn't respond to his commands. Bethany then grabbed Nick under the arms and began manhandling him toward the side of the pool, but he was too heavy for her. When that didn't work she grabbed the wooden cart that she'd placed in the shadow of the house.

As she tried to drag him onto the cart, Nick grabbed her ankles and pulled with all his strength, which was quickly waning. She went down and began pounding him in the head with her fists in frustration.

Greg rolled over and tried to focus on what was going on. He didn't know what drug she had used but he knew he and Nick didn't have long before they ended up on their respective front lawns. He grabbed his cell phone and hit 911. Then he tossed it under the leg of the table. Through sheer adrenaline he shoved himself to his hands and knees, then awkwardly launched himself at Bethany.

He managed to wrap his hands into her thick blond hair and pull. She screamed again as Greg wrapped his legs around her, a position that he'd been wishing to get into until just moments ago.

Nick quickly joined the dog pile. Bethany screamed and tried to squirm out from under them.

"Greg! Let go of her head!" Nick yelled. Greg threw his hands up. Nick dug deep down inside himself; into his anger at being conned, into his fear for his own life, but more than that, into his fear for his best friend. He reared back and threw everything he had into a punch. Her head snapped back, hit the concrete, and was still.

Nick collapsed on top of her.

"Nick!" Greg called as he too fell back onto the concrete, his muscles requiring too much effort to move. "Nick! That sedative…that she slipped us. We gotta…stay awake! Help…is on it's way. My cell phones on…under the table. 911. Nick!"

Epilogue

Catherine opened the door to Grissom's office. He was sitting solemnly at his desk, staring blankly at his computer screen.

"You ready to go?" she asked quietly.

He looked up as if surprised to see her. "Already?"

"Yeah."

Suddenly, something hit the window near Catherine's head. She leapt backwards and Grissom jumped, startled.

"Greg! Nick!" Catherine shouted as Greg came running down the hall chasing Nick with a Nerf rocket launcher strapped to his forearm.

Nick stopped long enough to grab the offending dart before he sped off, calling behind him, "It's research, Catherine! I swear it!"

"We're testing the accuracy of shooting at a running target," Greg panted as he raced after Nick.

Mouth open, Catherine looked to Grissom.

"Obviously our guys are back on their feet again, none the worse for wear. Bethany Henderson's in jail." He shrugged. "Ecklie's on vacation. Hey, at least they're staying away from women for a while," Grissom offered.

"Yeah, right. Like that's going to last," she scoffed.

"I didn't say it was going to last." Grissom stood. "Let's get going. I don't want to be late for court."

Catherine turned just in time to get a Nerf dart in the left breast.

"NICK!"

"Oops…Sorry, Cath!"

END


End file.
